


Candid

by snaeken



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love, except not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 18:04:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16330952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snaeken/pseuds/snaeken
Summary: Theo's lockscreen on his phone is a picture of Liam. The thing Theo currently dreads more than anything is Liam finding out about it. So of course that's exactly what happens.





	Candid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ExtraSteps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraSteps/gifts).



> For my lovely <333
> 
> For the prompt, "You weren't supposed to find out."
> 
> Please don't ask what's going on with the tenses in this thing because idk either

 

Theo has a problem. A teeny tiny problem.

A Liam-shaped problem.

He knows exactly what this is and he resents it. Sometimes he wants to curse Liam for helping him find his humanity again, for showing Theo that everything isn't about him all the time, that there's more to life than just making himself stronger.

If he's being honest with himself it actually started before Hell, before Tara dragged him down into eternal damnation.

Or _not_  so eternal damnation.

Because when Theo dragged himself out of the ground, his stolen heart beating an anxious staccato in his chest, there he was to offer his hand. Liam.

It wasn't a conscious decision, or at least not a fully _un_ conscious decision, but Theo finally started looking out for someone other than himself. Liam went from being the beta with anger issues to a comforting presence in Theo's life. Whether it was by throwing himself into harm's way or simply stopping the other boy from doing something stupid, Theo was there.

Realistically he knows he would do anything Liam asked of him and he's accepted that, would embrace it even. But the _real_  issue…

The real issue started when Liam became Theo's lockscreen.

It had been manageable until then, his crush on Liam. He had come to terms with his feelings for the other boy, and that those feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. But the shot was just so good, Theo couldn't resist. They were on opposite sides of the rooftop at Derek's apartment building, looking out over the city and trying to ensure there was nothing or nobody suspicious nearby. Theo looked over and the setting sun was framing Liam in *just* the right way. Liam wasn't paying attention so before he could truly think about his actions, Theo got his phone out and snapped a picture, stuffing his phone back in his pocket before even looking at the shot.

Liam had been none the wiser and so when he finally left that night, Theo took the first opportunity possible to look at the picture.

It was beautiful. Not quite as breathtaking as what he had seen with his own two eyes, but perfect all the same.

And that was when Nolan had walked in.

After discovering that neither of the boys had a place to stay anymore, Derek did what he does best and took them both in, giving them one of the apartments in his building to share, rent free. The boys struck up a quick friendship after that, a camaraderie in knowing they've both done terrible things but want to be better.

Nolan had tried to convince Theo to tell Liam how he feels about him, of course. Too bad that's an absolutely ridiculous idea and there's no chance of Theo doing that.

Now was another one of those times, Theo sitting in their shared living room with his phone open, admiring the boy in his lockscreen. He was so caught up that he didn't even hear anyone approaching until they knocked on the door.

Theo jumped, fumbling with his phone and placing it facedown on the coffee table before getting up and answering the door. Derek had done some fancy werewolf mumbo jumbo to the apartment so that they wouldn't get overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of all the neighbours. Even Theo's heightened chimera senses struggled to break through it. Unfortunately this resulted in him having to use the peephole to see who was on the other side of the door, just like Nolan always needs to do.

It's Liam.

Theo's stomach does an excited little flip at the sight of the other boy, one which he would absolutely not admit to anyone that it had happened. He's really lucky that Liam's still outside, because there's no way he would be able to hide it. Everything's been getting a little bit more difficult to manage around Liam; his chemosignals, his heartbeat, even just his voice. No longer was every word calculated and composed. No, instead Theo had found himself sometimes stumbling over words in Liam's company. It's even more embarrassing than having to use the peephole.

"Hey," Theo said as he opened the door.

"Hey yourself," Liam replied, letting himself inside. "Is Nolan here?"

"No, he's been out for a while. How come?"

"Oh," Liam frowned. "He texted me and told me to come over. That's weird."

Theo's first instinct was _something’s wrong_ , however that was quickly overtaken by _that little shit set this up _.__

Liam walked further into the apartment, getting comfortable on the couch. "I'll call him, see what's up with him." Patting his pockets, Liam's frown deepened. "I left my phone at home, mind if I use yours?"

Theo's heart shot into his throat as Liam reached for his phone on the coffee table. Embarrassment aside, he lunged for it, trying to grab it before Liam. He cannot, under any circumstances, see that a sneaky picture of Liam is his lockscreen. Absolutely not.

"Jesus," Liam yelped as the only thing Theo was successful in grabbing was air. Liam leaned back into the couch, his frown now directed at Theo. "Okay, okay, I won't touch your-- Oh."

Liam flipped the phone over and Theo's worst nightmare came true in front of him. He hadn't properly locked his phone when Liam first came to the door, fumbling with it in his effort to hide it. It's still unlocked, and Liam's holding it, and he's looking between Theo and his phone with a lot of confusion and something else he's entirely too mortified to try and place.

"Theo, what...?" Liam asked, eyebrows furrowed and that frown still on his face.

"You weren't supposed to find out," Theo chokes, snatching his phone back from Liam and bolting out of the apartment. It goes entirely against his nature, against everything he stands for, to run away. But this isn't an enemy, someone for him to hurt or manipulate or even potentially kill. No, this is Liam, the guy Theo has a crush on, and for the first time in a every long time he feels totally out of his depth, no idea what to do. So he runs.

Apparently his survival skills really aren't worth shit where Liam's concerned, his instincts leading him up to the roof instead of down and out of the building. Theo gulped in fresh air, gripping onto the roof railing and bending it from the force of his hold.

It took all of two seconds for Liam to track him down. "Theo?" he tried again, but there's no way Theo could look at him. He's been through a lot, he's a survivor, but a rejection from Liam may just be the straw to break the camel's back. It was so much safer just admiring from afar - or from up close too, technically - but now Liam was right there with the knowledge of Theo's deepest desire. It was too much.

"It's okay, I can delete it," Theo sighed. "We don't have to talk anymore, I get you're probably weirded out right now, I would be too if-"

"Theo, "Liam said, cutting him off. "Look at me."

Theo reluctantly locked eyes with Liam, the ocean blue as breathtaking as ever. Liam had moved closer when Theo's back was turned and there was barely any distance between them, so little that Theo had to look down slightly to meet Liam's gaze. Liam was smaller that him, just a little bit, another thing that Theo likes about him even if Liam himself doesn't.

"Why would I not want to talk to you anymore?"

"Because I took a creeper shot of you and saved it as my lockscreen?" Theo scoffed, getting annoyed that Liam was making him spell it out for him.

"I'm not trying to cause a fight," Liam said, holding his hands up in surrender. It might have been the first time either of them tried to solve a problem without using their fists. "I just don't understand why."

Embarrassment coursed through Theo, hot and prickly and uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Liam was really going to make him say it, just to reject him anyway?

"You really haven't figured it out?" Theo sneered, resorting back to his usual defence mechanism. "After you brought me back? After the ghost riders? After the hospital?" It was still one of Theo's most loved and most loathed memories, being in that elevator with Liam. He had truly thought for a moment that they were going to kiss, that at least _something_  good was going to come out of nearly dying for the younger boy again. Instead, Liam had turned away. "Do you seriously think I would do half of that stuff for anyone else?" he said through gritted teeth, the growing understanding palpable in Liam's widening eyes. "I did it all for you."

"I thought..." Liam shook his head. "The only person you've ever shown any interest in is Brett."

"Oh please, everyone's attracted to Brett," Theo scoffed. "That's just like, a thing."

"That's fair, yeah," Liam nodded, no doubt thinking of his own previous encounters with the born werewolf.

Theo steeled himself, preparing to say the words he hadn't yet dared to utter aloud. He had already come so far, revealed so much of himself, he may as well finish the job.

"I care about you, Liam," he said, eyes still locked with the other boy, trying to convey as much truth, as much emotion behind his words as possible. His heartbeat was doing something erratic yet inherently honest, totally unable to mask his feelings now even if he tried. "I'm in love with you."

Liam gasped, his breath hitching. He glanced down to Theo's chest, straight to his heart, then back up to his face. "I didn't think you felt the same," Liam breathed, voice wavering slightly.

Before Theo had time to process the words Liam was launching himself at him, wrapping his arms around him so tightly it was as if he was afraid Theo would disappear all together if he let go. Theo doesn't know who kissed who first, only that when their lips met the rest of the world fell away, all of his dejection and anxiety transforming into something beautiful and bright.

Everything would be okay if he had Liam at his side. And now he did.


End file.
